An exciting glimpse of what’s to come for PC Gamers in 2017
2016 has been a wild ride. Everything from politics to celebrity deaths (RIP Bowie) has everybody a little fed up with this year, but the good news is that there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. 2017 is shaping up to be a legendary year for PC gaming, and we’re here to give you the rundown on what to look for, what to hope for, and what to just go ahead and preorder.
1) Mass Effect Andromeda
Mass Effect Andromeda Trailer
Mass Effect Andromeda begins long after the events of the first three Mass Effect games with the crew of the starship Tempest. Players choose to control one of two siblings, both N7 Special Forces Operatives, who are responsible for salvaging hope for humanity in the vast, unexplored expanse of the Andromeda Galaxy.
For the uninitiated, Mass Effect Andromeda (like the previous installments) is an action role-playing game and third person shooter. Andromeda will allow players to pilot the starship Tempest in much the same way that fans of the series will remember piloting the starship Normandy. It’s right about here that the differences between the first three games and this latest addition begin to emerge, however.
Bioware has pushed the envelope with their latest installment, and they’ve made Mass Effect Andromeda an open world game. With any luck, this new open world will capture the sense of wonder that has historically made the series wildly popular with players and critics alike.
Leaving the safety of the ship to explore an uncharted planet in the Andromeda Galaxy
Now, down to the nitty gritty. Mass Effect Andromeda’s gameplay will still have all the Mass Effect trademarks including giving you control over your dialogue, allowing you to make decisions that affect the course of your story, and providing companions that are either friendly or very friendly depending on your style of play.
Combat appears to be every bit as fun as it ever was. You can expect to grow and develop your fighting style in tandem with unlockable tech and weapons that are every bit as adaptable as you are. After all, it wouldn’t be Mass Effect if you weren’t flanking heavily armored alien troops one minute, and dodging gargantuan wild beasts in the next.
For all that we do know, there are at least as many things we don’t. What’s clear is that this new iteration brings back everything we love about Mass Effect, and adds some new surprises (did we mention it’s in 4K?) that are bound to impress both the old fans and the new.
Traversing new territory in the six-wheeled all-terrain vehicle, Mako
Mass Effect Andromeda Gameplay
2) Battalion 1944
Battalion 1944 Trailer
In Battalion 1944 players will once again be pitted in battle on the Eastern Front where they’ll experience The Greatest Generation fighting history’s largest and deadliest war. Battalion 1944 promises to bring history to life in ways that only a carefully executed interactive experience can.
An exclusively multiplayer game, Battalion 1944 focuses on WW2 infantry, and that’s lucky because the front line is the only way to experience the depth and detail that Bulkhead Interactive has crafted into their version of Europe, 1944. Everything from the narrow streets of Carentan, to the dense forest of Bastogne has been masterfully recreated, bringing the World War 2 shooter into the realm of modern gaming.
Battalion 1944’s gameplay can best be described as a love note to the heyday of gaming in which skill was king, and a tactical advantage couldn’t be purchased through micro transactions. True to the spirit of the game, players rely on their ability to outwit, outflank, and outmaneuver their opponents. They’ll enjoy every second of it, too, because the satisfying warfare is brought to life by wholly authentic thundering of the rifles, the dizzying blasts, and painstakingly recreated locations.
Still not sold? Well, the most exciting and unique feature of Battalion 1944 is probably the Battlerank global competition system that places players in teams for designated seasons. Each season soldiers will battle for bragging rights and cosmetic upgrades to their character, equipment, and weapons. By all accounts, Battalion 1944 is shaping up to be the modern WW2 game PC enthusiasts have been waiting for.
German soldiers barricaded in a room above advancing American forces
Scanning the tree line for signs of enemy movement
Battalion 1944 Gameplay
3) The Walking Dead
Walking Dead Trailer
Overkill’s The Walking Dead places you in the heart of Washington DC and a post-apocalyptic nightmare. You’ll fight for your life against hordes of the living dead and wonder if being a survivor truly makes you one of the lucky ones.
This is not the first Walking Dead game, but it promises to be the first of its kind. Overkill’s The Walking Dead is a first person, co-op adventure that spans several genres including action, role-playing, stealth and – of course – horror. Not much is known about the newest addition to The Walking Dead Universe besides the fact that it will stay true the iconic comic and television series’ gruesome roots.
Exploring the remains of a once great city
This first person experience has the potential to have fans experience the paralyzing horror of watching the dead rip flesh from bone like they never have before, and perhaps there’s no better studio suited to deliver the goods than Overkill (Payday 2).
What truly makes Overkill’s The Walking Dead standout from the stellar pack of 2017 releases, however, is the plans for The Walking Dead VR experience. Combine the immersion of VR with the fact that The Walking Dead is known for crafting characters that come to life, and you have a recipe for a 2017 release that sounds like a match made in heaven.
Survivor fights to stay a survivor in the wake of Washington DC’s collapse
Walking Dead Gameplay
4) Resident Evil 7
Resident Evil 7 Trailer
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard follows Ethan, an everyday man with no combat training looking for his missing wife. Ethan’s search brings him to a nightmarish plantation, home of the equally nightmarish Baker family.
Played in the first person perspective, Ethan will use everything from pistols to chainsaws to dispatch mutant terrors. For longtime fans of the series, if that sounds a little too much like Doom and not enough like Resident Evil, don’t fret. This latest game ditches the sprawling action sequences seen recent releases in favor of a claustrophobic horror experience, and for true fans that’s just what the doctor ordered.
Resident Evil has two final surprises for PC gamers. First, no Quick time events, and that means players will no longer sit on the sidelines for the most gut wrenching moments of the game. Second, it seems likely that PC users will appreciate the first person horror like never before with a VR experience sometime after the initial release.
Horror fans, 2017 is shaping up to be something special. Those looking to pick up the newest Resident Evil might do well to grab a nightlight while they’re at it.
A glimpse inside the belly of the beast: the Baker Family Plantation
Baker Family Reunion
Resident Evil 7 Gameplay
5) Prey
Prey Trailer
Morgan Yu, a human experiment subject aboard the space station Talos One, finds himself in the midst of a hostile alien takeover. Relying on wits, weapons, mysterious abilities, and whatever he scrounges from the ship, Morgan fights a losing battle that will determine the future of more than just the Talos One.
The gameplay will be a continuous exploration of the ship, rather than distinct levels, and this format will even require Morgan to take to deep space to find shortcuts between different sections of the Talos One.
What sets Prey apart from other survival horror in space? The results of the experiments performed on Morgan aboard the Talos One. These experiments have changed Morgan and raises the question: are you the prey or the predator?
Pictured above: the least shocking result of the experiments performed on Morgan Yu
Prey is a follow-up to the 2006 success of the original Prey, and its development has been plagued with setbacks. It’s finally here, and looks like it just might deliver 11 years of hype.
Unwelcome guests aboard the Talos One
Prey Gameplay
6) For Honor
For Honor Campaign Trailer
Without warning, disaster strikes forcing three civilizations to compete for precious few resources. Three cultures struggling for survival that never should have met. Three warrior cultures known for their inimitable ability to kill: the Samurai, the Knights of the middle age, and Vikings.
An action hack and slash, players cut through hordes of opposing factions to accomplish their mission, unlocking abilities like the power to rain arrows on enemy forces along the way. The combat system called “Art of Battle”, gives your greater control than ever and takes time to master, so no button mashing here. Before long, For Honor will have you hacking through enemies with axes, katanas, and broad swords to and decide, once and for all, which warrior is humanity’s deadliest.
A knight enters the fray with minions in tow
Single player aside, multiplayer is a large part of the reason PC gamers talking about For Honor. Multiplayer combat is unique, balanced, and well executed, incorporating elements of the single player-like perks, minions and the “Art of Battle” combat system into intense battles that are heavily influenced by the balanced combat systems of popular shooters.
Minions witness a samurai and medieval knight locked in combat
Ubisoft has a chance to do something special here, and PC gamers are awaiting the February 14, 2017 release date with bated breath after the success of the closed Alpha testing last September.
For Honor Gameplay
7) Ghost Recon Wildlands
Ghost Recon Wildlands Trailer
Bolivia is a growing powerhouse in the drug trade torn apart by the ruthless cartel, Santa Blanca. The Ghosts are dispatched by The United States Government to dismantle the cartel, and expose the corruption responsible for the cartel’s meteoric rise to power.
Those familiar with the series will recognize the modern setting of Wildlands, its third person perspective, and emphasis on tactical play. What they won’t recognize, however, is the non-linear style. That’s right, Ghost Recon Wildlands is an open world experience.
Players will hike mountains, cross deserts and salt plains, and navigate dense forest to neutralize hardened enemies all over the vast wilderness of Bolivia. Wildlands will test your ability to use time, weather, modern tech, and strategy to cut the heart out of the drug trade.
Use dirt bikes, dune buggies, helicopters, and more to see all that Bolivia has to offer… besides cocaine
Most exciting of all, Wildlands will be experienced in the company of three other squad members in a co-op format. Or, if you’re more of a lone wolf type, play with squad mates powered by AI that behave dynamically and follow your every order.
Using teamwork and stealth to dispatch the enemy quietly
Ghost Recon Wildlands Gameplay
8) Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III Trailer
Three armies, one weapon: Space Marines, Eldar, and Orks converge on the planet Acheron to decide which army will wield the destructive power of a catastrophic force.
Dawn of War 3 combines aspects of the previous two Warhammer installments to create a Warhammer for the modern PC age. Players will attempt to outwit their opponents, but victory requires fierce dedication to the art of strategy, and the brilliant maneuvering forces comprised of everything from towering knights to terrifying Orks.
Imperial Knight engages in battle on Acheron
Considering the massive commercial and critical success of the previous two installments, and the fact that the first game (amongst the top 25 best-selling PC games of all time) Dawn of War 3 is destined to make a splash.
Adept players combine speed and strategy to create an unstoppable force
Dawn of War III Gameplay
9) Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord
Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord Trailer
The fall of an Empire. From the ashes six factions rise to wage war with weapons, tactics, and cavalry to determine who will rise above and reign supreme.
Mount and Blade 2 puts the player at the head of an army, and it will take more than brawn to win the battle. Battle plans and the skill to execute them is what counts here. Call the shots from safety or from the front lines, where you can ram castle doors with battering rams, scale castle walls, and cut through enemies without mercy all in the name of victory for your faction.
Conquer a world that is deep as it is stunning
The real beauty of what TaleWorlds Entertainment has accomplished with Mount and Blade 2 is the depth of play. The scale is massive – over 500 active soldiers at any given time – but more importantly AI acts logically, environments are destructible, strategy is a must. All in all, Mount and Blade promises to be more satisfying than ever before in TaleWorlds Entertainment’s newest addition to the series.
Forces prepare to crush stone, reduce doors to splinters, and spill the blood of your foes
Mount and Blade 2 Gameplay
10) Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 Trailer
Cyberpunk 2077 takes place in Night City in a bleak imagining of future. The line between man and machine has all but disappeared, and with the new power of augment technologies comes sinister and dangerous implications.
The terrifying result of man melding with machine
Played in the first or third person, Cyberpunk 2077 is a role playing game that will throw gamers into the streets of Night City. Players will be challenged to find salvation amongst the towering skyscrapers in the form of technological implants, but they assume the risk that comes with becoming more machine than man.
Police open fire on the streets of Night City
Little is known about specific mechanics as of now, but Cyberpunk is adapted from a tabletop RPG series and you can expect it to be true to the original series in its adaption of strong role playing elements. With developers CD Projekt RED behind the wheel fresh off their smashing success with Witcher 3, even the most cautious of optimists couldn’t help jumping on the Cyberpunk 2077 hype train.
Final Thoughts
By all accounts, 2017 is shaping up to be a flagship year for PC gaming. From real time strategy to horror, 2017 has something for everybody and – if all the promises of 2015 and 2016 come to fruition – there just might be everything for everyone.
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